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Letter to the Editor: Many Questions to Consider

With President Trump and many others calling for teachers to carry guns in schools, it is interesting to think about what an actual proposal to this end might look like. The following are some things that such a proposal would need to address.

Would it be mandatory or optional for teachers to carry guns? If mandatory, would this be enforced by federal, state or local law enforcement officers? What would be the penalty for not carrying a gun? If optional, what, if any, incentives should be offered to get teachers to volunteer? Would the incentive be paid for through federal, state, or local taxes? What types of taxes?

Whether mandatory or voluntary, would training/testing/certification of gun-bearing teachers be administered by federal, state or local agencies?  Would the expenses associated with training and certification be paid for through federal, state, or local taxes? What types of taxes?

What types of guns would teachers carry? How many rounds of ammunition would they carry? Would this be open carry or concealed carry? Who would own the guns and ammunition? If not the teachers, then who would buy and pay for the guns and ammunition?

Would all teachers be required to carry guns, or just selected teachers? If just selected teachers, who would select the teachers and what requirements would be put on candidates? For example, would the teachers be required to pass a marksmanship test? Who would enforce the requirements? How often would a teacher need to confirm that they meet the requirements?

In addition to teachers, what other school employees should be carrying guns? Beyond schools, should employees in any other types of work place such as hospitals fall under any laws/regulations adopted in this area?

If you are in favor of having teachers wear guns in school, then you might want to answer these questions for yourself and then send your answers on to your representatives. You can’t blame them for not giving you what you want if you don’t tell them what you want. If you are opposed to arming teachers, you might want to sit down with someone supporting this concept and go over the questions with them with the intent of having a meaningful discussion on the topic vs. a pointless shouting match.

 

Mark Polczynski

Baileys Harbor, Wis.

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